Some of what you said it's true even quotes, you make millions you are able to spend millions to fix things...

I hate the fact that people expect someone to fix something, it isn't easy as say lets stop this, think about this before you rant, what has been set
in motion can be stopped at once? can it? yet as a second we chose the best of the worst, lately we only have two options and that it's it.

Originally posted by gncnew
Obama has succeeded in convincing American's that they are no longer exceptional, they are to blame for the state of the Union, and they better just
adapt because it's not getting any better.

First off, I need to say that I am in a similar boat to you with regards to regretting my choice in '08. Though I fail to see how McCain would have
been any better and we were, as ever, the third party candidates would never be allowed to win.

That said, I have to take exception to this line above. Americans should not believe that they are universally and automatically "exceptional".
America is a nation. Just like any other. A nation that had evolved steadily into one of tremendous personal freedoms, cultural vibrancy,
technological innovation and financial power.

On the other hand, any entity; be it a nation or a human being is not exceptional on the mere basis of existing. You or I can can not and should not
consider ourselves exceptional on the basis that we happened to be born on U.S. soil. It is one's actions that can make one exceptional. The same
goes for nations.

American exceptionalism is the single concept most responsible for the unmitigated clusterfornication that our society has become. A military that
thinks it is exceptional because of its sheer might, and chooses to act as it wishes where it wishes bringing "freedom" at gunpoint to people we
mysteriously deem worthy of freedom (though said worthiness is often related to their proximity to large oil reserves) Financial Manipulators that
think they are exceptional because they can bundle and rebundle numbers on a financial ledger until $1=$100 on the sheer merit of how many times
they've sold the same dollar. Hideous Wal-Mart worshiping gluttons who buy all their cheap, tacky crap including the "USA #1" T-shirt from China.
Dynastic ruling elites who think they are exceptional because their great great grandpappy built a business empire to big to fail. And, of course,
good old fashioned sheeple who are convinced that they are entitled to an endless parade of gadgetry, entertainment, cheap titilation, wealth and
comfort just because they are their own super special selves. Granted, plenty of these types of people exist outside the United States, but the U.S.
(because of it's post WWII power) has created a lot more with far reaching influence which has made us the subject of contempt and hatred around the
world.

Americans should NOT be made to feel exceptional by default. (Nor should Britons, Australians, Swedes, Germans, Iraqis, Venezuelans or any other
resident of any country no matter how great it is or has been).

EVERYONE, however, should be made to understand that they can BECOME exceptional through study, passion, work, imagination and dedication.

Now, if your argument is that Obama has been saying that people can not become exceptional anymore, than I will agree with you. But I think that
Obama's message is inherently aspirational. He admits that there are not any free rides or easy times on the horizon, but that's just a little bit
of truth amidst his pandering nonsense. If anything, I think he paints to rosy a picture. He owes to much to the puppetmasters to be able to
actually point out that the game is rigged, and that the struggle beyond becoming exceptional is just as difficult as any other; for once you put in
the work, become good at what you do, set goals and put your shoulder to the wheel with the intention of doing something great, you still have a vast
army of status quo loving exceptionalists who think there is only room at the top for them and their buddies.

Does it really matter who gets elected? POTUS doesn't have absolute power. The problem with government is that it is made up of all of these
rich people basically dictating the way the rest of us live. They do this by taxing and legislating us into submission on every level. Federal,
state and local governments getting their piece of the pie a.k.a. (also known as) your paycheck. (example: My property tax has increased to the
point where my house payment is $300 more a month now than it was 3 years ago. All property tax) Now there may be a government shutdown. What a
croc. They have no incentive to make sure there is no shutdown. They will still get paid. Besides, they are rich people. Unfortunately, our
soldiers may not get paid. Many that are living pay check to pay check already. This is how we thank them for putting themselves in harms way,
fighting civil wars in other countries why? Because to the victor go the OIL!!! Do they care about the 90 year old woman whose Social Security pays
her rent? At least now she won't have to choose between food and medicine because without her check, she can't afford either.

Don't feel bad about your vote. They all tell us what we want to hear. I'm positive that if the other guy had won, we'd still be in the mess that
we are today.

You'd think such a great and benevolent government would relieve your tax burden in these times of uncertainty to help you stay in your home.

But of course the great and benevolent government jacked up your rates when your home was riding an all time high of artificial value so it could rake
in as much as possible and when your homes value crashed it just kept on jacking the rates because now it's your sworn duty to keep that great and
benevolent government swimming in cash and if something happens and you can no longer afford your home your great and benevolent government will
surely be there with bank in hand to take over that property of yours and shop it around to somebody who can afford their greatness and
benevolence.

For the love of god why the hell do people still tolerate this? Even defend this?
You're a worthless deadbeat if you dont enjoy the burden government places on your head, they say. You're one of those brain dead capitalists in the
corporations pocket, they say. All while their lord and master government on high rapes families from sea to shining sea.

Rather than tax evictions there needs to be more standoffs. Neighbors be neighbors and stand shoulder to shoulder when they come to kick you out and
take your home and say "no, no more, these are our homes" and never cry for a dead tyrant. Remember they chose their jobs. Dont buy the lie of
"just doing my job" or "I'm a regular guy just like you." It didnt fly in Nuremberg and it shouldnt fly here..

Why people at this late hour believe that any positive 'change' will come by voting for puppet A over puppet B or even puppet C is beyond me.

The 'system' is so absolutely owned and rigged and broken, that anyone with any positive and realistic intentions of honestly addressing any
intentionally created problems never even makes it to the first round.

The only positive 'changes' that will ever take place IMO will have to be by people working in ways OUTSIDE the system and in setting up their own
systems of positive interaction based more locally between their neighbors and close communities and immediate circles of influence.

Let the dinosaurs fight it out amongst themselves and hopefully mutually cancel each other out. Remember it was the small mammals that survived and
evolved living and growing outside the arena of the battling reptiles that thrived and carried on.

Originally posted by Cuervo
As much as I agree with the OP, if I had to do it again, I'd still vote for him. McCain scared the hell out of me. No matter how bad it seems now,
it could be much worse.

I guess the lesson I learned was to never vote for either party ever again. Ever.

IMHO, the OP doesn't come across as sincerely disappointed like a true supporter really is, more like an "I told you so" from the right but, that
being said, the point remains the same Obama - is anathema to everything he campaigned for.

And I think you are close in your assessment about a lessen learned. I think historians, in retrospect, will mark this time as the end of civic
participation in America. Obama's carefully worded and expertly delivered speeches captivated our imaginations about a long lost ideal for America, a
hope for a better and a more productive and inclusive future - and then not only utterly failed to follow through on any part of that but seemed to
totally sell out those ideals to corporate and political interests.

The result: A disaffected, fiscally broke and emotionally exhausted populace who feel completely powerless to exact any sort of change.

We're living in a corporate oligarchy and the people are to blame ultimately. Politicians are gonna say whatever is politically expedient at the
time, especially if it seems as though their gonna crush the status quo. Get used to being disappointed because they don't have that much power.

Real change and real reform will come with a social revolution by the people and for the people. The entire political infrastructure needs to be torn
down and started over and this can be done non-violently. But it will have to get worse before people will get off the couch and take a stand.
Firstly, the vested interests of corporate lobbyists need to be eradicated. Caps on election campaigns should be instigated. The antiquated two party
system should be destroyed and candidates should run on their own merits not party guidelines.

People get what they deserve. They keep voting for career politicians and lawyers and their gonna get corruption and constant stalemates. The most
capable leaders won't get into politics because of all the nastiness. If the people decide to stop making a game out of it then things will really
change.

Threads like these are almost into the realm of pathetic. You make it seem like we were all driving Bentleys and living the American dream before
Obama came along, and then poof it was all taken away.

Wars? Started way before Obama took office and you can guarantee the next CIC will be starting more.

American lives lost? I seem to remember 9/11 when the repubs were in charge, ignored all the warnings given to them and 3k people were killed as a
result.

And if youre stupid enough to drive a car that only gets 8 miles a gallon and you can't afford it then yes thats YOUR fault for buying a car you can't
afford to drive. Sorry but there isnt a "gas fairy" to give you free gas so you can drive your SUV 2 blocks to the store and impress the snobs, and as
a result you're living on tuna fish and mouldy bread.

Fact of the matter is the country was in the pooper way before Obama took office and if you were stupid enough to think that one man could even fix 5%
of the problems this country faces, in 4 years no less... then you deserve to feel stupid. I swear you people go on and on about conspiracy this and
that and the first medicine man that comes along, most of you drink the kool-aid and then get pissed when you see the red stains and come down from
the sugar high. Presidents come and go, the only real change that will begin the process of fixing things would be to sack the entire gov, but that's
not happening. So drink up for the next pre-elected smiling baby kissing face they will present to you.

hav'nt taken part in much blogging/vlogging for past few years..reach that stage where i had given up hope i guess..seems anything transmitted has no
effect whatsoever maybe that's why...but my brother put this site on my fav's...so i guess i could drop a line or two here and there and who
knows..maybe those few words may intice somone out there in cyber world..maybe one person is not such a high expectation?...lol well anyway..this is
the first thread i've read into..and i have to admit..as of yet not completly..but i notice mention of Ron Paul and could'nt resist the opertunity
to share my feelings on the subject at hand..
"i can certainly feel for the auther of the thread in regards to being duped..humans as a whole are suckers for punishment!"...but more importantly
to me is the consideration of the alternative to the "shile" that is voted/impowered into office...not just presidental office..any office of power.
"i really don't think Ron Paul being elected into office would be such a great thing...quite frankly i'm of the belief that if he were to be
installed into office..he'd simply be assasinated shortly into his role"... don't get me wrong..i believe he's probly one of the only true hopes
that the USA has..but i seriously doubt that the "powers that be" will allow the man to mix up there plans...so don't vote for Ron Paul if u value
him at all..because i'm sure that a vote for Ron Paul is nothing more than a death sentence for him...The only only way that the USA will ever come
out of the situation it is in right now will be a total revolution...but a revolution that takes you people right back to the final days of Abbe
Lincoln...and of course being Cdn myself..i'm sure that could do nothing but help us up here on your northern borders...we have our "shile
polititions" too unfortunatly..coruption is not just an American problem...it's world wide

we the honest would be sent to jail but these guys get a bonus and cartels keep the cash and sell there assets. why does the public always lose in the
corrupt world of polotics and law.

our Leaders are the worlds biggest drug barons, proof if ever you needed and some still think that there goverments are there to protect them lol.
SHAME FOR POOR U.S,UK PEOPLE FOR BEING TAKEN AND SHAME ON THE WORLD LEADERS FOR SAYING NA TO PEACE

Honestly, I think we finally need a good hearted, fiscally conservative candidate. I too am sick of this two party system that is obviously broken and
corrupt. We as Americans need to snap out of this 'I'm a Democrat' and 'I'm a Republican' mentality, and start thinking about WHAT they believe
in.
I mean hell - look up the wikipedia entries for Democrat vs Republican -

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by
anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP (Grand Old Party). The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism
in the U.S. political spectrum and is considered center-right, in contrast to the more center-left Democrats.

Conservatism in the United States is a concept which has evolved over the history of the country, encompassing somewhat different political
stances in various eras. The history of American conservatism has been marked by tensions and outright contradictions, with intellectual
debates not only between types of anti-communists and anti-statists, but between traditionalist and individualists who affirmed the primacy of
religion, politics, or economics

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's social
liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum.[1][2][3] The party has the lengthiest record of
continuous operation in the United States, and is one of the oldest political parties in the world[4]. The party had 72 million registered voters in
2004

Honestly, I mean look at each parties actions (not words or promises)...are they really that different at all? Wikipedia Democratic Party

Without a qualifier, the term "liberalism" since the 1930s in the United States usually refers to "modern liberalism", a political philosophy
exemplified by Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal and, later, Lyndon Johnson's Great Society. It is a form of social liberalism, whose
accomplishments include the Works Progress Administration and the Social Security Act in 1935, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Community
Reinvestment Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

According to Louis Hartz, liberalism in the United States differs from liberalism elsewhere in the world because America never had a resident
hereditary aristocracy,[2] and so avoided the worst of the class warfare that swept Europe.[3]

Center-Right, Center-left - But its all mostly Center now. If you're right wing or left wing your considered a 'Radical' and simply ignored. What
does this tell you? That TPTB are gradually combining the two party system into a single system!

Is it any surprise that most American voters are independent these days? The two party system is corrupt - we need to abolish it AND the electoral
college! We need to be picking candidates who support SPECIFIC stances on SPECIFIC topics. Not general stances on general topics (which has been
happening). And we need to switch to Popular Vote instead of the Electoral College...then maybe this country would have a fighting chance.

Say what you will about Obama but who I have come to hate/admire is Bush Jr.

He orchestrated the perfect political storm for his replacement to inheret.

He starts not one but -two- wars that we could not just -cut and run- without making the situation worse. Lets not even talk about bad intel and
WMDs.

Torpedoes the economy into such a state that it will take -years- to recover from but does all the recovery spending just as he's walking out the
door. I bet when he goes out to eat he says to his waiter "The guy who sits at this table after me is paying my bill".

Add to this the Bush and the gang are walking around like free men, not being held accountable for what they did?

I have no real insight into what is happening in the US, however this has to be said:
In the OP Barak makes a comment about people complaining about the price of fuel when they do 8miles per gallon, and that they should get a trade in
is .. RIGHT!

8 miles per gallon? Seriously WTF. If your car isn't capable of doing 30mpg in urban then all you're doing is adding to the global nightmare, carbon
footprint and fuel guzzling our precious resources away.

I knew the US made crap cars, but 8mpg is ridiculous. Don't folks with these kinds of cars feel guilty? Concerned about the fact they are easily one
of the major contributing factors for pollution, price hikes and generally foremost in destroying their enviroment.. and you WHINE about the price of
fuel?

Some of what you said it's true even quotes, you make millions you are able to spend millions to fix things...

I hate the fact that people expect someone to fix something, it isn't easy as say lets stop this, think about this before you rant, what has been set
in motion can be stopped at once? can it? yet as a second we chose the best of the worst, lately we only have two options and that it's it.

Ron paul next year thats how we fix things.

do that and vote right, don't disappoint like you did before.

Well, maybe not at once, but you gotta start somewhere! How about starting with not voting for either, Reps and Dems? Or do you wanna go on with this
circus of lies and cheating games forever?

The American public were fools to think that any politician would bring them anything different, especially Obama. You could count the number of
"honest" politicians in Washington on one hand. Republicans and Democrats are all the same. There is no looking out for the people, it's just
fullfilling your party's agenda and going against the other party's agenda, no matter what benefit it could provide.

Until the two party system falls, there will be no change. But it will never fall at the polls, a revolution is in order.

I think this thread is disinformation. I do not think someone who would have voted for Obama would express the sort of sentiments I see here.

Here is the real deal: Obama IS a disappointment, but it is largely because he failed to overcome insurmountable odds, which would have required
exceptional leadership (which we have not seen in any president since before I was born). He inherited the wars and the financial crisis/lousy
economy. The Repubs have been systematically bankrupting the country since Saint Reagan was elected, so what was Obama supposed to do? Force
austerity to balance the budget, thus throwing the world into a massive, painful depression? Or keep the ball rolling, hoping to slowly inch away
from the coiled snake that confronts us? I will take the latter, thank you.

Furthermore, he has been hamstrung in his efforts by the Repubs, who are your only real alternative in the voting booth. For example, his single
payer healthcare system would have provided us the control necessary to actually limit healthcare costs while also being much more equitable to ALL
the people of the country. It would have saved us hundreds of billions, but those hundreds of billions currently go to line the pockets of the
outrageously profitable private healthcare companies, so naturally the Repubs prevented change from occurring. So what we get is a bizarre new law no
one is happy with, except for the greedos who run that industry.

So do what you want, but know that Obama's failures are really the failures of his opposition, and that if you don't like the way we are heading
now, it will be ten times worse with the GOP controlling all three branches of government. if that happens we will learn what it means to be poor.

The Above Top Secret Web site is a wholly owned social content community of The Above Network, LLC.

This content community relies on user-generated content from our member contributors. The opinions of our members are not those of site ownership who maintains strict editorial agnosticism and simply provides a collaborative venue for free expression.